New Publication by Main Presbyterian Church in US Calls Zionism “Jewish Supremacism”
Issued by the Israel Palestine Mission Network of Presbyterian Church (USA), the publication states that the problem stems “Zionism [which is] destroying both indigenous Palestinian lives and rich Jewish communities across the globe in a supremacist misinterpretation of God’s word . . .
“Moreover, the American Jewish community actively stifles dissent against the Zionist narrative, taking advantage of the ‘ignorance and passivity of many liberal American Jews.’”

“Our church has categorically condemned anti-Semitism in all its
forms, including the refusal to acknowledge the legal existence of the
State of Israel. At the same time, we believe that condemnation of
injustices perpetrated in the name of the State of Israel, including the
violation of human rights, does not constitute anti-Semitism.”

The statement comes in the wake of expressions of outrage by Jewish
groups at “Zionism Unsettled,” a publication last month of the church’s
Israel Palestine Mission Network.

The study guide posits that a “pathology inherent in Zionism” drives
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and rejects theologies — including
Jewish theology — that uphold Zionism.

The church says that the network advises the church but does not set its policy.

“The independent group — which speaks to the church and not for the
church — recently published a study guide, Zionism Unsettled: A
Congregational Study,” the church’s statement said. “The guide is
intended to prompt discussion on the ever-changing and tumultuous issue
of Israel-Palestine. The IPMN booklet was neither paid for nor published
by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).”

'De-Arabizing' Christians
Christian Arabs aren’t really Arabs — at least according to a new
Knesset bill. It imposes one more division on the Palestinian people —
and serves Israel’s interests, writes Emily Hauser.

BDS AND THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUNITY
The use of name-calling like “anti-Semites” and “delegtimizers” is
problematic for a number of reasons, not only because its claims are
untrue, but also because it takes the focus off the real issue at hand –
whether and how Israel is, in fact, violating international law and
basic human rights principles – and, instead, recklessly impugns the
characters of those advocating for Israel to be held accountable.

Jimmy Carter backs labeling settlement origin goods — Former President Jimmy Carter said his group of former international leaders would not endorse a boycott of Israel but encouraged nations to make clear which Israeli products originated in West Bank settlements.

Richard Falk, United Nations rapporteur on
human rights in the Palestinian territories accused Israel last week of
“ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians. Speaking at a press conference, he
said that Israeli policies bore “unacceptable characteristics of
colonialism, apartheid and ethnic cleansing.”

It is the abhorrent “theft” which
Richard Falk, United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the
Palestinian territories described on March 21 as “unacceptable
characteristics of colonialism, apartheid and ethnic cleansing”.

VIDEO - The Biology of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
In one of the most dramatic public lectures seen in modern times, former
Israeli Gilad Atzmon has declared that there is a biological basis to
the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: that Jewish characteristics have a
genetic basis and have followed an internal eugenic policy which has
created a unique ultra-racist identity which drives their imperialistic
designs.

Teaching Kids To Hate When photos of weapon-wielding kids flooded out of the West Bank, most
Jewish media outlets ignored them for one reason: they showed Israeli,
not Palestinian, glorification of violence.

In a closed conversation, the head of the Beit El Yeshiva exposes
that he received millions of shekels from the State of Israel in
compensation for his seminary’s violations of the law – with the quiet
assistance of a senior Knesset member.

The Racists of Jerusalem Day
Leanne Gale thought she knew what to expect from the right-wing
marches, racist chants and police violence on Jerusalem Day. But what
she saw this week shocked even her.
I walked on, trying to remain calm in a threatening
environment. A group of Jewish teenagers surrounded me. “So, are Jewish
men not enough for you? You need to fuck Arab men instead?” And, “Go to
hell, you leftist.” Another blew the sparks of his cigarette directly
into my face.(...)
A mother carrying her child handed him a large poster, instructing him
to hold it in front of my camera so as to obstruct my view. Anywhere I
turned, the child turned his poster, until it became impossible for me
to film. When I finally turned the camera off, another woman walked
straight up to me. Her face inches from mine, she practically spat,
“Shame on you. People died for this land. This is Jewish land. If you
don’t like it, go to Syria. Go die in Syria.”

The end of a beautiful friendship?
Ever since Menachem Begin became PM four decades ago, American Jewry
has been captivated by Likud pathos, symbolism and sense of victimhood,
but things are beginning to change.

The Racists of Jerusalem Day
Leanne Gale thought she knew what to expect from the right-wing
marches, racist chants and police violence on Jerusalem Day. But what
she saw this week shocked even her.
I walked on, trying to remain calm in a threatening
environment. A group of Jewish teenagers surrounded me. “So, are Jewish
men not enough for you? You need to fuck Arab men instead?” And, “Go to
hell, you leftist.” Another blew the sparks of his cigarette directly
into my face.(...)
A mother carrying her child handed him a large poster, instructing him
to hold it in front of my camera so as to obstruct my view. Anywhere I
turned, the child turned his poster, until it became impossible for me
to film. When I finally turned the camera off, another woman walked
straight up to me. Her face inches from mine, she practically spat,
“Shame on you. People died for this land. This is Jewish land. If you
don’t like it, go to Syria. Go die in Syria.”

We thank you for your historic and moral vote to divest from the
Israeli occupation. Your vote is a profound act of solidarity with
Palestinians who have suffered decades of occupation, dispossession, and
discrimination.

Netanyahu to settlers: I'm fighting for you, but there are international constraintsNetanyahu tells settler leaders he is their 'greatest defender,' but his hands are tied by 'international' considerations.

Leaders of the Yesha Council of settlements met Wednesday evening
with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and asked him to bring an end to
the months-long freeze on planning, construction, and marketing of West
Bank and East Jerusalem housing.
According
to sources that were present for the meeting, Netanyahu told the
settlerment leaders that he has in fact been advancing their cause in
recent months. "You have no shield greater than I," he said. "I fight
for you."
"But
there are international constraints and you know them," he said,
according to a source present at the meeting. "Everyone tells me all the
time that the peace process is stuck because of the settlements. I
reply to them that that's not true and that the real reason is the
[Palestinian] refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state."
Yesha
heads told Netanyahu, according to sources at the meeting, that the
last time tenders for construction in the settlements were published
happened after the third round of releasing Palestinian prisoners in
January. They added that the planning and construction committee of the
West Bank civil administration has not convened in more than three
months to discuss projects that are in different phases of completion.
They said they have not been able to push forward plans to build public
institutions such as schools or kindergartens.
"I
was not aware of the damage and suffering it has caused," Netanyahu
said according to the source. Netanyahu tried to show sympathy with the
Yesha leaders but he did not promise a thing except that he would look
into the matter more deeply and consider possible solutions with Defense
Minister Moshe Ya'alon and Cabinet Secretary Avichai Mandelblit.
The
facts presented to Netanyahu did not come as news. After all, it was
the prime minister who decided to place a freeze on planning and
construction in an attempt to prolong the Israeli-Palestinian peace
talks – and to maintain the freeze after the talks failed to avoid
international condemnation, which could involve economic and political
sanctions.
Martin Indyk, the U.S. envoy to the peace talks, said
in a speech several weeks ago following the collapse of the talks, that
that massive construction in the settlements during the time of
negotiations was a central cause for the collapse. Indyk's words
together with briefings from White House to the same effect created the
sense internationally that Israel was to blame for the collapse.
One
of the first consequences was a decision by the German government not
to grant Israel hundreds of millions of dollars to purchase German-made
missile boats meant to defend Israel's natural gas interests in the
Mediterranean. The Germans told Israel that their parliament would not
approve such a move in wake of the collapse of the talks.
About
12 regional council heads were present at the meeting including Avi Roe
of the Benyamin regional council, Davidi Pearl of Gush Etzion, Gershon
Mesika of Shomron, Yohai Damari of Har Hevron, Malachi Levinger of
Kiryat Arba, Oded Ravivi of Efrat, Yogal Lahav of Karnei Shomron,
Hananel Dorani of Kedumim, and two senior Yesha officials, Ze'ev Hever
and Dani Dayan.
Also
present at the meeting were Meir Rubenstein, the Haredi mayor of Beitar
Illit and regional council heads of Alfei Menashe, Beit El, Har Adar,
Givat Ze'ev, and proxy for the mayor of Ariel.

Emperor Netanyahu, head of the Jewish empire with its capital the
State of Israel, has announced the diversion of the economic armies from
west to east. Netanyahu has abandoned our interests in the sinking
continent of Europe, the newspapers heralded, and marked our new
interests in the east.
“I
come here now from signing an agreement with the deputy prime minister
of China, and last week I signed similar agreements with the prime
minister of Japan. I had a talk with the President of Nigeria, who asked
me to send Israeli aid to the struggle against Islamic terrorism.
Yesterday, I spoke to the president of Serbia, who asked me to send
Israeli aid against the floods in his state,” Netanyahu boasted at the
Likud Knesset faction meeting.
He
summed up: “This is our answer to those who want to isolate us.” The
West repudiates us? Let’s recreate ourselves in the East (at least until
they realize who we are).
The
fear of losing the Jewish majority in Israel, which is a modern
reincarnation of the Jews’ primeval fear of being annihilated, is of the
utmost importance to the leader of the Jews. Obviously, neither peace
nor democracy will help the struggle against the demographic threat,
inasmuch as it is seen as a threat. The only effective ammunition in
this war is Jews — and the “Jewish identity” bill is the weapon.
We
are witnessing a move to nationalize the Diaspora Jews. The bill aims
to identify Jewish with Israeli and convert all Diaspora Jews into
Israelis de facto. It’s only a matter of time until Jews, wherever they
are, get the right to vote. This is a bid for numerical fortification,
similar to the statistical manipulations that serve as a substitute for
the struggle against poverty. The Diaspora Jews will be counted together
with the Jews in Israel, without having to immigrate. This is an
implementation of the right of return, without Jews having to actually
return.
Such
a move could be disastrous. It is not inevitable that Jews in Diaspora
will have to deal with anti-Semitism again. If they are Israelis whether
they want to be or not, they will no longer be able to ask to
distinguish between protest against Israel’s policy and Jew hating. They
may be blamed again for dual loyalty — to the state they live in and
the Jewish state.
Perhaps
such a situation is not against Israel’s interests. Zionism in its
current incarnation has created a distorted dependency on anti-Semitism —
the ideological migration to Israel has been exhausted, as has the
migration of persecuted and poor Jews. We are left with millions of
obstinate Jews, who regardless of how many Birthright trips Sheldon
Adelson gives them at his expense, still prefer life outside Israel to
partaking in the project of the Jewish state.
Ultimately,
the only way to bring them here and harness them to the demographic
struggle is to make them understand that no matter how bad things are
here, they are even worse over there.
Netanyahu
and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman are on a dangerous course. They
want to harness the struggle against anti-Semitism to the struggle
against moves against Israel’s policy. But they don’t realize, or do
realize and turn a blind eye, that the move will backfire. It will
merely inflame the rage and anger further, because it portrays Israel
and the Jews as a body without borders that wants to expand beyond its
state. In this sense, Netanyahu is playing into the anti-Semites’ hands
by implementing their wildest fantasy about the Jews.
America’s
Jews have been trying for some time to distinguish between the Jews and
Israel and convey the message that they will not be able to defend
Israel as an extension of their identity, unless it starts going
straight. But Netanyahu and Lieberman don’t believe in responsibility
and friendship in the world, only economic interests and anti-Semitism —
and world order as simply their reorganization. They are like Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s people, who pooh-poohed American sanctions
over the invasion to Ukraine, remarking that at worst they won’t be able
to go to Disneyland.

Last week I had the privilege and pleasure of participating in the
International Writers Festival, held in Mishkenot Sha’ananim in
Jerusalem. The festival was enriching and exciting, but overhanging it
was a cloud that dampened the enjoyment, in the form of the
international boycott that is slowly solidifying around Israel’s
cultural life. Several of the international participants related to the
boycott as an established fact that everyone except us, the targets of
the boycott, is aware of and accepts as part of the new global reality.
Among
the numerous pleasant encounters between Israeli writers and their
overseas counterparts, an ugly interaction stood out. This was a
conversation between A.B. Yehoshua
and the young and successful American Jewish writer Nicole Krauss.
Yehoshua let loose, without any provocation from the smiling and
mild-mannered Krauss, with a blustering and surprisingly rude frontal
assault on his interlocutor. Krauss is a thoughtful and interesting
writer who, despite a busy schedule, made time to attend and assist the
festival, in addition to her vigorous efforts to counter the
international boycott that threatens us.
Yehoshua’s
attack was confused and his arguments unfounded, and I cannot restate
them in full here. He totally rejected the possibility of leading an
authentic and significant Jewish life outside the borders of this
country and the Ben Gurionist-Zionist paradigm which he espouses. He
rejected in one sweep any non-Israeli Jewish literature, taking
particular aim at the giants of American Jewish literature of the
previous generation, such as Bernard Malamud, Philip Roth and Saul
Bellow. Yehoshua claimed that he was “unimpressed” by them since they
failed the test by not comprehending the grandeur of political Zionism
by not opting for it as the sole path for a continued Jewish historical
existence.
Yehoshua’s
strange behavior demonstrated an unpleasant mix of a threatened and
weak yet overblown ego, of provincial feelings of inferiority together
with an unjustified sense of superiority, also provincial in nature. To
Krauss’ credit she was not drawn in by this ugly and needless
provocation, made by the Israeli writer she admires most (it was said at
the festival that she initiated this dialogue out of respect for his
work). She insisted on talking about other topics, making interesting
and complex arguments while maintaining her dignified pose, which stood
in increasingly stark contrast to the tasteless aggressiveness of her
partner in dialogue, which only became worse as the conversation
continued.
I
was shocked. I had never witnessed such behavior on a public stage.
Israelis around me giggled forgivingly. They are used to this kind of
behavior by Yehoshua, whom they insist on calling by his childhood
nickname “Buli.” Unfortunately, this sounds close to the English word
bully, the neighborhood thug who bothers helpless children during school
recess and on the playground, threatening and striking them for no
reason. Apparently his behavior is a well known phenomenon. Jewish
organizations in the United States invite him to conferences and events
supporting Israel and he attacks and slanders his hosts, declaring their
Jewish lives incomplete and inauthentic, negating their efforts to live
a significant Jewish life and to maintain the increasingly eroding
affinity they have with Israel.
The
masochism that makes these organizations continue inviting the
neighborhood bully to their identity-searching playground is a topic for
another article, but one must question what passes through Israel’s
head when it allows him to represent it abroad, taunting and insulting
and pushing away any remaining friends in an increasingly alienated
world? Perhaps the problem is larger and more worrisome than that of the
irrational lashing out of this unmannered writer? Maybe the show put on
by Yehoshua truly reflects the new face of Israel, whose complacent and
thuggish insensitivity has caused its long-standing friends to express
reservations, to distance themselves and finally to boycott it?